360 passes 10m EMEA sales mark

Microsoft this evening has confirmed to MCV that the Xbox 360 has sold over 10m units across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

This makes it the only console format to have seen year-on-year sales growth across the territories this year the firm says.

The news comes ahead of another update to the console's interface which adds streaming HD movies, Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm - and comes following the eventual integration of Sky TV services to the device in the UK.

It's also thought some hardware growth will have been driven by the recent release of Modern Warfare 2 - the format-holder had told MCV it would 'own' the launch from a hardware perspective and collaborated closely with Activision on some aspects of marketing.

The devices new services prove that Xbox Live is now 'the largest social network connected to the TV and strengthens Xbox 360’s already impressive line up of interactive entertainment services' the firm said in a statement.

Microsoft has also released a flurry of stats confirming its successes. It has reiterated news that there are 20m Xbox Live active members worldwide who have downloaded over 1bn pieces of content between them.

The format-holder also touted 'a shift in where the Xbox lives in the home' - it says its own research shows that 60 per cent of Xbox devices are housed in family living rooms, 35 per cent of Xbox customers are women and 64 per cent are over the age of 25.

“Reinventing entertainment through, play, watch, connect and share – this is the vision that we have for Xbox 360 and today that vision is the reality for 10 million Xbox owners," commented Chris Lewis, European Xbox boss.

"European consumers are very discerning and demand a connected entertainment experience. That’s why we focused on providing content that is right and relevant for them and entertainment beyond just gaming to movies, music and social networking. We have delivered on this promise and next week will bring real innovation into the living room through instant streaming high definition movies, connecting with friends on Facebook and Twitter and a personalised music channel. Together, this represents a real shift in the way people are entertained every day."

MCV is the leading trade news and community site for all professionals working within the UK and international video games market. It reaches everyone from store manager to CEO, covering the entire industry. MCV is published by NewBay Media, which specialises in entertainment, leisure and technology markets.